On Saturday, 7 April 2018 00:34:19 UTC+1, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
David wrote:

Just tried to sharpen a builder's pencil and the two wood halves came
apart.

Pencil sharpener for normal pencils is blunt.

I am now considering a propelling pencil with a thick lead for use in
marking up work.

Anyone else doing this?

If so, which lead thickness?

The reason for a carpenter's pencil is the lead can be reasonably strong
but with a sharp chisel point to draw a thin line. A thick lead in a
propelling pencil would need sharpening to give a thin line.

An ordinary pencil with the same tip shape has a stronger 'lead' as wood is stronger than graphite. But being a narrower tip the standard pencil dulls quicker. The main body of the carpenter's pencil is more robust, but that's minor. If you use them all day, day after day then no doubt it's worth getting the carpenter's ones. I never lack ordinary pencils so don't bother, there's no significant upside.


NT